An Act to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-3705.5, 2.2-3711, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, and 2.2-4002 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 2 of Title 32.1 an article numbered 25, consisting of a section numbered 32.1-73.33, relating to Severe Maternal Morbidity Surveillance and Review Program established.
HB1403 establishes a Severe Maternal Morbidity Surveillance and Review Program within the Virginia Department of Health. The bill creates a new article in Title 32.1 to authorize collection, review, and analysis of severe maternal morbidity cases in order to identify trends, contributing factors, and opportunities to improve maternal health outcomes. It is aimed at using case review and surveillance to better understand serious pregnancy-related complications and reduce preventable harm to mothers.
The bill also amends several existing Code sections governing confidentiality and administrative procedure to support the new program. In particular, it adjusts public records exemptions and related provisions so that information used in maternal morbidity surveillance and review can be protected from mandatory disclosure when necessary, while still allowing the state to use de-identified or aggregated data for public health purposes. The legislation is designed to integrate the new program into existing health data and confidentiality frameworks rather than create a wholly separate reporting system.
Its impact on state law is to add a new public health surveillance and review mechanism focused on maternal outcomes and to expand the statutory confidentiality structure for sensitive health information used in that work. Affected parties include the Department of Health, health care providers, hospitals, and entities that may supply records or data for review, as well as patients whose medical information is implicated. The bill is likely to improve the state’s ability to monitor severe maternal complications and inform policy responses, quality improvement, and prevention efforts.
The available legislative history shows no recorded committee transcript or vote breakdown, so there is limited direct evidence of debate. The bill’s enactment suggests generally favorable sentiment and support for maternal health surveillance as a public health tool. Because the measure involves sensitive medical data and confidentiality protections, any contention would likely center on privacy, data access, and the scope of information sharing, but no specific opposition is reflected in the provided materials.
Overall, HB1403 appears to be a maternal health and public health data bill that prioritizes surveillance, review, and confidentiality. It is intended to help the Commonwealth better understand severe maternal morbidity and use that information to improve outcomes for pregnant and postpartum patients.
HB1403 adds a new section to Title 32.1 creating a Severe Maternal Morbidity Surveillance and Review Program and amends public records and administrative provisions to protect sensitive health information used in that program. It affects confidentiality rules for health records and related data, while allowing de-identified or statistical information to be used for public health review and reporting.
The bill appears to have been received positively, as reflected by its enactment into Chapter 842 and the absence of recorded opposition in the provided history. The general sentiment is supportive of maternal health monitoring and prevention efforts, with the policy framed as a public health improvement measure rather than a controversial regulatory change.
No specific committee debate or vote opposition is provided, so there is no documented contention in the record supplied. Based on the bill text, the most likely areas of concern would be patient privacy, confidentiality of medical records, and the extent to which hospitals, providers, or state agencies must share data for surveillance and review.